When a retarding mechanism and a body suspended therefrom are launched from an aircraft or missile, the high speed at the time of dispersal causes a severe shock to the package due to sudden retardation. The sudden shock is frequently sufficient to cause general mechanical failure to the retarding device or damage to the load which increases the incidence of duds. The prior art retarding devices utilized parachutes, metal fin stabilizers and ballute technology to retard the impact upon dispersal and descent to reduce incidences of damage. A common difficulty with such devices has been that excessive speeds at the time of dispersal often results in mechanical failure. For example, parachutes used individually would provide drag at speeds below 1500 feet per second but at higher speeds the lines would tangle, become disoriented or break. Parachutes also prove disadvantageous in wooded areas since they would be hung up in branches and shrubs preventing the load to penetrate to the target.
Metal fin stabilizers perform satisfactorily where release velocities are under 1600 feet per second but encounter structural failure operating above 2000 feet per second. A combination of a parachute and balloon referred to as ballute technology requires air ports at its extremeties to provide the proper orientation to inflate the ballute. However, none of the present designs available would assure proper operation or structural integrity at speeds above 2000 feet per second.